Wednesday, July 8, 2015

WW: Happy birthday, recreational marijuana stores!

Welcome back to Weed Wednesday, your weekly dose of pot news. Wondering what this is about? Click. Looking for our previous marijuana coverage? Click. Got a question or tip? Email me at jaket@inlander.com

A year ago today, recreational marijuana stores opened for business in Washington state. Long lines of stoners eager to pay high prices for marijuana formed outside often nondescript stores across the state.

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Early on, the system struggled with a lack of supply and high prices. But since then, more producers have come online, stabilizing the price the and supply of marijuana. So far $267,551,520 worth of pot has been sold, generating $66,887,880 in taxes, according to figures from the Washington State Liquor Control Board.

Figures on Washington pot sales through June weren’t available by press time, but the Inlander crunched the numbers today to find out how much marijuana has been sold by stores in the Inland Northwest. Here ya go:

In Washington, lawmakers quietly inserted a provision into a marijuana tax bill that outlawed clubs where marijuana where pot can be consumed socially. Since marijuana became legal, social stoners and accommodating businesses have sought to create places where people can consume pot together, not unlike a bar. However, local authorities have often chafed at the idea.